Work may interrupt water service

Residents in central Greeley may experience water interruptions and rust-colored water this summer as the water department reconditions about 41,000 feet of cast-iron pipeline.

Preliminary work on the $1.13 million project is already under way, and main work will begin Monday.

The work will be at several locations between 10th and 20th streets and 12th and 23rd avenues and will be finished before Oct. 8, according to the water department.

The work will remove rust buildup that has been narrowing pipelines, some of which are more than 80 years old. Workers will clean the pipelines and then line them with a thin layer of cement, extending the life of the pipelines by at least 50 years. Reconditioning pipelines is about half as expensive as replacing them and doesn’t require as much street to be torn up.

The pipeline reconditioning will result in slightly better water pressure but the work may result in some inconvenience to residents. Already some residents in central Greeley have had their water turned off followed by water that is stained a brownish-red by rust residue.

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The rusty water is safe to drinking but it can stain clothing if used for washing.

Daniel Moore, water systems engineer, said residents are warned before water is shut off and most people’s taps will be dry for only 5-10 minutes as workers install bypass pipes while the reconditioning is under way.